Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

that right across the economy, at every level of government, you need to pursue the micro-economic reforms that are going to shore up and improve the living standards of Australians so that they can earn more and so that, as a result, the government can raise more and we can not only be in a position to fix the budget but also ensure that Australians are better off. Our response today to the Harper review is about better services, it is about greater choice and it is about a stronger economy.

We know that the previous reforms under the Hilmer process, which was started by those opposite and embraced by those on this side of the House, ensured an increase in GDP of 2½ per cent. What we have said through our response to the Harper review today is: 'We want to go with Hilmer mark 2.' We want to put in place a system of competition payments and of productivity payments, and work with the states and territories to ensure that they can focus on reforms in areas like planning and zoning, retail trading hours, road financing and infrastructure funding. Those are the areas that we know will grow the economy and grow jobs.

We are going to work consultatively and collectively with the states and territories to drive those reforms at a micro level, which will ensure jobs for future generations of Australians and ensure that we can deal with the growth in our services economy, particularly social and human services, because that is where the growth is. Young people who are coming out of school today or at training colleges and universities are going to find jobs in the health services sector and the human services sector, and Australia will be a leading provider of these services to the rest of the world. Our response today to the Harper review ensures that we have a clear plan for realising that opportunity.

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